Just A Dream
by Neko-Angel246
Summary: Have you ever noticed that the edges of screen in the show are blurry and that towards the end of the last episode Lorna is reading a book called Tome of the Unknown? What if Over The Garden Wall was just a story within a whole other bunch of stories? What if the show was a story read by Wirt to Greg one night?


Have you ever noticed that the edges of screen in the show are blurry and that towards the end of the last episode Lorna is reading a book called Tome of the Unknown? What if Over The Garden Wall was just a story within a whole other bunch of stories? What if the show was a story read by Wirt to Greg one night? That's where this AU came to be! I think I might write more about this another time but for now enjoy!

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"The Woodsman ran over and hugged his daughter tightly, vowing to protect her at all costs. The End."

Wirt closed the book and set it down beside him on the couch before focuses his attention at the warm body pressed up against his side. His little brother was struggling to stay awake, embracing his stuffed frog against his chest.

"That was a good story, Wirt." Greg mumbles as he rubs at his eyes with tiny fists.

Wirt raises an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? It wasn't too spooky for you?"

"No way! Not even The Beast scared me!" And as if to prove his point Greg puffed his chest out, only to deflate in a giggling fit when Wirt pokes his stomach.

"That's pretty brave of you to not even be scared of The Beast though," Wirt admitted. "Not even I could be that brave."

"Yes you could!" Greg insisted with hands now on his pudgy hips. "You can do anything if you set your mind to it!"

"Yeah well, maybe I should practice being brave on something...not The Beast first," Wirt replied as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Like asking Sara on a date?"

"O-or something else."

Wirt checks the time on the clock hung up in the living room. 10:30 pm. It was passed Greg's bedtime. While Wirt could stay up a bit later, the 6-year-old would insist he could stay up later too. Maybe on the weekend but it was a school night. But before he could open his mouth, like he could read his mind, Greg tried diving off the couch to hide. Wirt grabbed him before he could.

"But I'm not even tired!" Greg exclaimed, squirming in his big brothers grip.

"You could barely keep your eyes open before," Wirt reminded him and Greg just pouted. "Look, even I'll go to sleep with you."

Greg blinked and turns his head so he could study Wirt's face incase he was lying. "Really?"

Wirt smiles and nods.

Seeming satisfied, Greg stops his struggle for freedom and is soon set standing on the floor. Wirt hands his little brother's stuffed frog to him, which he gladly takes.

"Now go up and change," Wirt instructed. "I'll be up in a couple minutes."

Greg salutes him. "Can do, Captain!"

Once Greg scampers out of sight Wirt finally stands up, stretching his stiff limbs before gazing around the room. His favorite candle sticks illuminate the darkened room, casting shadows from the few furnishing adorning the room. Papers and crayons are scattered over the carpet, drawings of blue birds and singing frogs and unique people. His little brother was quite an artist, though he likes to take after his brother and play with his own toy instruments more.

Wirt walks over to the single window in the room and peers out into the pitch black, the quarter of a moon's light tracing figures of trees and street lamps. Quick movement catches him off guard in the corner of his eye. He tries to see it was but no more movement can be seen outside. Maybe it was a bat or a bird, or it was just his imagination.

The teenager goes over to blow out the candles for the night when the book still on the couch meets his eyes. Wirt picks it up and running his long, clarinetist fingers over the cover. The cover had a drawing of two boys, a frog and a blue bird walking in the woods. The title read-

Tome of The Unknown.

"I'm glad that didn't happen to us," Wirt whispered to himself as he tucked the book under his arm. "I'll do anything to keep Greg safe."

Wirt blew out the candles and headed off to bed.


End file.
